LHC reserves verdict on Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s plea for production orders

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court’s two-judge bench Wednesday reserved verdict on a petition by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi against non-issuance of his production orders for attending the National Assembly session.

Earlier, a law officer told the bench that production order of the petitioner had been extended till prorogation of ongoing session of the assembly. He urged the bench to dismiss the petition for being infructuous. Petitioner’s counsel Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, however, asked the bench to pass detailed order on the petition as it challenged the act of the speaker of not issuing production orders.

After hearing both the sides, the bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi reserved verdict on the petition. The petition had contended that Abbasi was elected to the National Assembly from NA-124, Lahore, and at present was in judicial custody following a NAB reference.

It said the petitioner time and again requested the NA speaker for issuance of his production orders but the speaker had not been issuing the same in violation of law and the assembly’s rules.

It said mala fide of the speaker was evident as previously other members facing cases had been summoned through production orders to attend the assembly’s sessions. It said the non-issuance of the petitioner’s production order was a violation of his fundamental rights.